1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gaming and more specifically to a system and method for providing interactive gaming using computer resources.
2. Related Art
The proliferation of processors and processor-based systems in recent years has led to a tremendous increase in the ability of businesses, industry and individuals to expand their operations, organize and share large amounts of information, and offer new products and services to clients and customers. Most computers and workstations in today""s homes and offices are connected in some manner to another computer or workstation, either locally or remotely. An early form of such inter-connection of computing systems was a direct connection via a modem, which was eventually enhanced using technology such as the local area network (LAN). Using LAN technology, several computers, workstations, peripherals, or other related devices can be connected to share data among one another and to share network resources.
The Internet can be thought of as an extension of local area network technology. The Internet, which started in the late 1960s, is a vast computer network consisting of many smaller networks that span the entire globe. The Internet originally began as a communication network through which government researchers, scientists and other personnel could exchange data or other information between offices and facilities throughout the world. Eventually, the Internet became accessible to the public. Initially, the public was slow to embrace the Internet, and it seemed as if the Internet would remain nothing more than a way for a select group of technologists to exchange e-mails and other data or information. Eventually, however, entrepreneurs who envisioned the growth of the consumer market for Internet services were able to attract a large number of consumers into the fold. As a result, a sort of snowball effect ensued in which more and more consumers became Internet users, and in turn, more and more businesses rushed to get web pages set up on an Internet server. With more businesses offering information, products and services on the Web, more consumers were attracted to the Internet. This cycle rapidly fed on itself virtually creating an explosion on the Internet.
However, the proliferation of the Internet did not stop with simply making web pages available to the Internet users, or web surfers. In the true capitalistic spirit, providers of goods and services began offering enhanced web services as add-on features to their goods and services. Seemingly overnight, entrepreneurs and businesses jumped on to the Internet bandwagon. On top of that, hundreds, if not thousands, of new businesses were created to offer Internet-related services.
The present invention is directed toward a system and method for providing an automated gaming service to one or more players. According to one aspect of the invention, the automated gaming system can be implemented in a computer-based environment allowing automated computation of wagers, payouts, and other parameters to enhance the gaming experience. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the automated gaming system can be implemented in an Internet or other network-type environment such that various players can access the automated gaming system from remote locations, thus establishing a virtual gaming environment.
In computer-based implementations, players can be granted access to the system via a sign-on process or other access technique. According to one aspect of the invention, player accounts can be established and players can be granted access to the system and to their accounts using, for example, user name and password techniques, or other access techniques.
In one embodiment, player profiles or other data formats can be implemented to store and track player information at a variety of different levels, depending on the system implementation. Furthermore, according to one aspect of the invention, one or more accounts can be set up for each player. Preferably, in one embodiment, the accounts are set up as debit-type accounts, whereby a player funds or replenishes his or her account in advance of wagering, using a credit card or other payment technique.
In accessing the system and placing wagers, the funds for those wagers are drawn from the funds available in the user""s account. The player can access his or her account to replenish funds as desired or to withdraw funds and perhaps to even zero out or close the account. The system can be implemented to accept various forms of payment including, for example, credit card payments and wire transfers. To pay funds to a player from his or her account, the system can be set up to send the player a check or money order, to credit the player""s credit card account, to wire transfer funds to a designated account, or pay the player using various other payment techniques.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, various gaming environments or formats can be established to provide flexibility in implementing the system and handling various games or other events. For example, in one implementation, the system can use a pari-mutuel gaming format that allows the odds or the payout to be adjusted as the betting continues, to help entice betters to or away from a particular competitor. Additionally, the sliding odds can be implemented with or without a point spread. In one embodiment, the point spread can also be adjusted, although it is preferably fixed. Adjusting the point spread can further help to entice players to or away from one or more competitors. These features of adjusting the odds:and changing the point spread can be implemented alone or in combination to help xe2x80x9ceven outxe2x80x9d betting for a particular competition.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, an alternative gaming environment or format that can be established and implemented is a guaranteed-payout format. According to this format, a player can be guaranteed the payout amount at the time the wager is placed. This format may be more attractive to players in that with a guaranteed payout, the amount they receive is not subject to diminution as more and more players place wagers on that competitor.
To minimize or help reduce exposure in covering guaranteed payout amounts, a sliding scale or scales can be implemented to adjust the payout amounts for subsequent wagers. Thus, if a competitor in the event is highly favored, it may be advantageous to a player to place an early wager and get a relatively high payout amount. In this embodiment where payout amounts can be adjusted for subsequent wagers, the system may decrease the payout amount for a side or a competitor that has been heavily wagered, and increase the payout amount for a side that is not so heavily wagered in order to entice players to wager on the underdog or underwagered side.
As described herein, in one embodiment, a computer system known as the invention can be implemented to allow players to access the system via electronic communications means such as a network, a direct connection, or even the Internet. Other connectivity techniques can be provided as well to allow flexibility or to enable the system to grant access to one or more players in various locations and from various systems.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a computer system known as the gaming server is equipped with a location verification module. In one configuration, the location verification module operates in connection with the gaming server to establish a direct communication link to the player and to determine the location of the player. The location of the player is evaluated based on ANI numbers, such as for example, caller-ID numbers. In another configuration the location verification module determines the location of the player based on the verifiable address of the computer the player uses to access the network.
In the location verification embodiment the player utilizes a shared computer network to access a gaming server. Upon accessing the gaming server the player views gaming or wagering options including payout amounts. The player may optionally select a gaming selection with wager amount. Upon confirming the gaming selections and wager amount the gaming system disconnects from the player and independently establishes a direct communication link with the player""s computer or terminal.
In another embodiment of the system, the location verification module works in conjunction with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Customers can access the Internet for non-wagering purposes, using equipment provided by the ISP. In this embodiment, wagering information can be viewed, such as the kind of information that shows the current odds for wagering on sporting events. Other Internet information is accessible, such as would be generally available to users of the Internet. When a customer wants to actually place a wager, two levels of location verification come into play. The ISP firstly ensures that a user is dialing up from a verifiable location where wagering is allowed. Secondly, the location verification module also ensures that the source of the wager request is from a location where wagering is allowed. The two systems work in concert to verify the location. In a different embodiment of the system, an establishment, such as a casino, plays the role of a dedicated ISP. It is similar to the previous embodiment except that there is no general connection to the Internet. A customer is limited to viewing information and placing wagers according to what is being offered by the casino.
Further features, advantages, and aspects of the invention are described in detail below in terms of one or more various embodiments or implementations.